Police investigate burglary reports at Price businesses

A rash of break-ins in Price during the weekend caused small business owners a headache and some losses.

The crime spree, apparently perpetrated by the same person or persons, started last Friday night when the unidentified subject or subjects reportedly broke into a number of businesses.

The episode purportedly continued Saturday night in another part of town.

Six businesses suffered damage and losses in connection with the ongoing incidents.

Included in the list of alleged victims were Price Travel, Shear Joy, Image of Beauty, Love Floral and Top Line Computers, according to local law enforcement officials.

Also damaged and ransacked was Munchkin Manor Preschool.

Discussing the matter Monday morning, Price Police Chief Aleck Shilaos indicated that the subject or subjects took numerous items from the businesses, including an undisclosed amount of cash.

"In two of the cases, the crime would be attempted burglary because they tried to gain entry and but didn't," pointed out the Price police chief.

At Price Travel, the perpetrator or perpetrators apparently entered the building through a back window and took various things from the business' office, including postage stamps.

The subject or subjects also broke into two safes, but apparently got nothing as a result of the criminal efforts.

"It's actually kind of funny," said Price businessman Tom Anderson. "They broke into these safes that were already unusable so there was nothing in them."

Anderson and his wife, Gigi, operate Price Travel.

One of the safes that had the door torn from it also had bent hinges.

The hinge pins were still laying on the floor where the criminal or criminals had apparently left the items.

At the Price Travel building, the unidentified subject or subjects reportedly went into a utility room and broke through the wall into the preschool.

"The burglar must have been a very small person," said Paul Anderson, who showed the Sun Advocate the damage done at Price Travel as he pointed to a very small window through which the person or persons entered.

Paul Anderson also revealed the space in between pipes and wall joists where the alleged burglar or burglars had to pass through to gain access into the preschool.

According to Shilaos, a significant amount of what was taken during the incident was fairly small, "except in the case of Top Line Computers, where they took some kind of a machine."

The machine removed from the computer store could be considered a fairly large item.

By Monday morning, all of the businesses had cleaned up the messes, repaired windows that were broken during the rampage and were up and running.

As of Monday morning, Shilaos said the police had no suspects in the string of break-ins.

Carbon County residents with information regarding the burglary incidents are encouraged to contact Officer Susan Hyde at the Price City Police Department.